Colonial Theatre's 2010-2011 Season
Something for Everyone in Pittsfield
By: Charles Giuliano - Apr 01, 2010
Many months of preparation have gone into organizing this diverse and exciting season at the Colonial. Highlights include: Roseanne Cash: The List, John Lithgow: Stories by Heart, Kathy Mattea, The Vienna Boys Choir, Loudon Wainwright III & Shawn Colvin, Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-Woman Show, Ani DiFranco, Betty Buckley: Broadway by Request, Ute Lemper, and Los Lonely Boys.
The 12 month season is divided into 9 series including: Broadway, Cabaret, Experiodyssey, Family Time, Great Night Out, Holiday Cheer, Just For Laughs, Pop and Rock, and Singer-Songwriter. Each series includes some of the most talented artists and live entertainers in their respective fields.
"Season five is an important milestone for The Colonial Theatre. Our Berkshire friends and neighbors have looked back and seen that the Colonial has been fulfilling its mission to serve the people of the Berkshires with diverse, accessible, and entertaining programs. Looking forward is even more fun." says David Fleming , Colonial Executive Director.
Berkshire Bank, The Crowne Plaza, Greylock Federal Credit Union and Laurin Publishing have made generous sponsorship donations to support the entire season. Greylock Federal Credit Union is the exclusive sponsor for the Family Time series for a fifth year. Laurin Publishing is the exclusive sponsor for the Pop and Rock series and Berkshire Bank is the exclusive sponsor for the Singer-Songwriter series.
Individual event sponsors include: Greylock Federal Credit Union for It's a Wonderful Life and the Christmas at the Colonial: Sing-Along with Mary Verdi & Friends, Pittsfield Cooperative Bank for Twist and Shout, Nelson E. Furlano, CPA for Arlo Guthrie with The Burns Sisters: Journey On. General Systems Company Incorporated for 'S Wonderful: The New Gershwin Musical and Cohen Kinne Valincenti & Cook and Greylock Federal Credit Union for Sherri James Buxton & Friends: Songs from the Heart. The Legacy Bank Foundation, Cain Hibbard & Myers, PC and Interprint, Inc. are co-sponsoring the Colonial's Performing Arts for Schools Program this season.
"The Colonial Theatre is, first and foremost, an engine for the continued revitalization of Pittsfield and the Berkshires. As all of us emerge from this dark chapter in our nation's economic history it is particularly important that we invest in those organizations that have been and will continue to be part of our community's recovery. The volunteers and staff at the Colonial operate it with the absolute certainty that, with the community's continued generous support as ticket buyers, members and sponsors, our Colonial Theatre will be one of the best tools we have with which to recover our social and economic vibrancy. It is easy to recommend that people invest in The Colonial Theatre when looking over the list of fantastic talent that will be gracing its stage in the coming season." says Michael McDonald, President, Colonial Theatre Board of Trustees.
"This coming season is filled with great performances, famous names, terrific family fare and one of the best education-through-the-performing-arts programs in New England . The Colonial Theatre has become one of the things we count on here in the Berkshires to make this the best place to live and visit." says David Fleming , Executive Director.
This season, the Colonial is collaborating with many local community organizations and presenters including: Think Pink, the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival, The Legacy Banks Foundation, Romance, Soul Rock n' Roll, Berkshire Concert Choir, Community Resources for People with Autism, Elder Services, The Berkshire Eagle, Word x Word Festival, The Berkshire Forum, The Eagles Band, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Studio One Dancers, Berkshire Symphony Orchestra, Berkshire Bach Society, Albany Berkshire Ballet, Westfield State College, Warren Miller and many more to be announced.
Tickets are on sale to member now and to the general public April 7. Membership begins at $50. Memberships and tickets may be purchased in person at the Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South Street Monday-Friday 10-5, performance Saturdays 10-2, by calling (413) 997-4444 or online beginning April 7 at www.TheColonialTheatre.org.
BROADWAY
BETTY BUCKLEY: BROADWAY BY REQUEST
Wednesday 8/11/10 7:30pm
A: $45 B: $25
Betty Buckley weaves amusing stories and anecdotes with songs from her Broadway songbook in Broadway by Request. Winner of the coveted Tony Award for her portrayal of Grizabella in the original Broadway cast of CATS, Buckley is one of only a handful of women who can be referred to as a real Broadway star and a true legend. Buckley is best known on television for her role as Abby Bradford in the hit series Eight is Enough.
'S WONDERFUL: THE NEW GERSHWIN MUSICAL
Thursday 9/30/10 7:30pm
A: $55 B: $35
Sponsored by General Systems Company Incorporated
'S Wonderful is an all-singing, all-dancing musical celebration of the brilliant and breathtaking music and lyrics of George & Ira Gershwin. 'S Wonderful bursts on stage in five Technicolor mini-musicals inspired by the real events occurring in and around the lives of the Gershwin brothers.
FOREVER PLAID
Friday 10/15/10 8pm
A: $55 B: $35
Forever Plaid is a nostalgic tribute to the guy groups of the '50s and '60s with the perfect blend of old time rock n' roll, fabulous choreography and comedy. Singing in fantastic '50s four-part harmony, the boys perform "Three Coins in the Fountain," "Sixteen Tons," "Chain Gang," "Heart and Soul," "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" and more classics.
TOMMY TUNE IN STEPS IN TIME: A BROADWAY BIOGRAPHY IN SONG AND DANCE
FEATURING THE MANHATTAN RHYTHM KINGS
Friday 11/12/10 8pm
A: $65 B: $45
Nine-time Tony Award-winner Tommy Tune teams with longtime collaborators The Manhattan Rhythm Kings for a personal look back at his incredible career, featuring timeless standards, elegant choreography, and Tommy's own unique charm and warm-hearted humor. Don't miss this rare chance to view the personal side of this quintessential song-and-dance man.
MEREDITH WILLSON'S: THE MUSIC MAN
Saturday 1/22/11 3pm & 8pm
A: $65 B: $45
The story of fast-talking huckster Harold Hill and his attempts to con the townsfolk of 1912 River City, Iowa, The Music Man is filled with musical fun, tender romance, barbershop quartets and classic tunes including "Ya Got Trouble," "Seventy-Six Trombones," "Goodnight My Someone," "Gary, Indiana" and "Till There Was You."
CABARET
SHERRI JAMES BUXTON & FRIENDS:
SONGS FROM THE HEART WITH SPECIAL GUEST MATT SAVAGE
A CABARET TO BENEFIT COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM
Sponsored by Cohen | Kinne | Valicenti | Cook & Greylock Federal Credit Union
Thursday 6/3/10 7:30pm
A: $35 B: $25
VIP: $75 includes preferred seating and pre-performance reception
From Gershwin and Berlin , to Sondheim and The Beatles, Sherri James Buxton is an elegant interpreter of a wide range of genres.
Matt Savage is a jazz pianist, composer and winner of the ASCAP Young Composers Award every year since 2005.
MAUREEN McGOVERN: A LONG AND WINDING ROAD : THE CONCERT JEFFREY HARRIS: PIANO
Friday 7/23/10 8pm
A: $50 B: $35
This eclectic concert is an entertaining and introspective look at the songs that inspired Maureen McGovern before her Academy Award-winning hit "The Morning After." Her repertoire includes selections of iconoclastic singer-songwriter material including "The Circle Game," "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" "The Moon's A Harsh Mistress," "Imagine," "Fire and Rain" and many others.
UTE LEMPER
Friday 8/27/10 8pm
A: $55 B: $35
Ute Lemper's career grows out of a passionate and enduring commitment to art, politics, history and a contentious and complicated relationship with her homeland and its past. Her panache, versatility and sophisticated repertoire—including Berlin cabaret songs and the dark gems of Brecht and Weill—have garnered her international acclaim in the theatre, cabaret and film worlds.
EXPERIODYSSEY
MARC SALEM 'S MIND GAMES
Friday 7/16/10 8pm
All Tickets: $35
Mind Games is a captivating excursion into the power and possibilities of the human mind. Using psychological techniques, a sharp eye, a quick wit and 20 years of training, Marc Salem engages the audience in a series of mesmerizing and mystifying mind games. Through the course of these interactive exercises, Salem unlocks the minds of audience members and encourages them to figure out how he does it.
VICKI BAIRD: CONNECTING WITH THE BEYOND
Sunday 9/26/10 3pm
All Tickets: $35
Do you wish you could communicate with a loved one that has passed? Do you wonder if your relative will "come through" with a message for you? Find out at a live audience reading with remarkable, intuitive medium, Vicki Baird. A message for one can be a message for all.
FAMILY TIME
Series Exclusively Sponsored by
Greylock Federal Credit Union
THE CHINESE GOLDEN DRAGON ACROBATS
Saturday 7/17/10 8pm
A: $35 B: $25
The Golden Dragon Acrobats have become the world's leading Chinese acrobatic troupe, performing more than any other company. World-renowned impresario Danny Chang and choreographer Angela Chang combine award-winning acrobatics, traditional dance, spectacular costumes, ancient and contemporary music and theatrical techniques to present a show of breathtaking skill and spellbinding beauty.
THE SPENCERS: THEATRE OF ILLUSION
Saturday 11/6/10 8pm
All Tickets: $35
Named 2009 International Magicians of the Year, joining the ranks of Henning, Copperfield, Penn & Teller
and Criss Angel.
For The Spencers, magic is no longer merely about baffling the audience by doing something seemingly impossible. Magic these days is about drama, spectacle, interaction, danger and personality. People have been known to levitate, walk through walls, vanish and reappear. In one magical experiment, the entire audience is asked to get involved in a stunning, interactive mind reading experience! Theatre of Illusion is one of the largest touring illusion productions on the road.
THE BERENSTAIN BEARS LIVE! IN FAMILY MATTERS: THE MUSICAL
Sunday 12/5/10 2pm • All Tickets: $15
The Berenstain Bears have enchanted young readers for generations. Now, Matt Murphy Productions presents a
fun-filled new musical that weaves together three of Stan and Jan Berenstain's most popular books:
The Berenstain Bears Learn about Strangers,
The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food
and The Berenstain Bears' Trouble at School.
BUBBLEMANIA!
Sunday 2/20/11 2pm
All Tickets: $15
Come see the beauty, wonder and fun of bubbles. BubbleMania! is loaded with visual comedy, quick wit, big band swing music and the untamed, often unbelievable qualities and beauty of bubbles. Casey Carle's creations grow from intricate and imaginative bubble art forms to "trapping" people inside bubbles!
BLACK VIOLIN
Saturday 5/14/11 2pm
All Tickets: $15
To most people, jazz, hip hop, funk and classical are musical genres—but to revolutionary music group Black Violin—they're nothing but ingredients. This group of two classically trained violinists and their DJ is redefining the music world—one string at a time. With influences ranging from Shostakovich and Bach to Nas and Jay-Z, Black Violin breaks all the rules, creating a rare sound that nobody has ever heard, but that everybody wants to feel.
GREAT NIGHT OUT
RICKY NELSON REMEMBERED STARRING MATTHEW & GUNNAR NELSON AND THE STONE CANYON BAND
Friday 7/30/10 8pm
A: $50 B: $35
Nearly 25 years ago, Ricky Nelson, one of the most cherished and beloved artists of all time, lost his life in a plane crash. Now Nelson's sons and band pay tribute to him in a multi-media rock n' roll concert featuring Nelson's biggest hits including "Garden Party," "Travelin' Man," "Hello Mary Lou," "Poor Little Fool," "Lonesome Town," "I'm Walkin'," "Fools Rush In," "It's Late," "Young World," "Believe What You Say," "Stood Up" and more.
BLUE: THE MUSIC OF JONI MITCHELL
Saturday 8/21/10 8pm
A: $45 B: $25
In Association with Ligeti Artists LLC/Theshowstore.com
Joni Mitchell's exquisitely crafted words and music shine in this intimate, acoustic concert performed by top New York and Nashville musicians. The show pays tribute to Mitchell, presenting Blue in its entirety, along with many favorites from other early albums including "Song To a Seagull," "Clouds," "Ladies of the Canyon," "For the Roses" and "Court and Spark."
THE NATIONAL DANCE COMPANY OF IRELAND : RHYTHM OF THE DANCE
Friday 10/1/10 8pm
A: $55 B: $35
Rhythm of the Dance is a breathtaking and spectacular musical production that is a true celebration of Ireland . Presented through song, dance and storytelling, the show features a wealth of talent from all four corners of Ireland .
JOHN LITHGOW: STORIES BY HEART
Thursday 10/7/10 7:30pm
A: $75 B: $45
Tony and Emmy Award-winner John Lithgow performs a double-bill of stories: Uncle Fred Flits by P.G. Wodehouse and Haircut by Ring Lardner.
Stories By Heart is a touching and funny meditation on the art and essence of storytelling. Lithgow invokes memories of his grandfather and father before him, as he traces his own history as an actor and storyteller. Spanning three generations of family history, the performance—written and performed by John Lithgow—moves from the dazzling language of Wodehouse's comic monologues to Ring Lardner's dark and suspenseful story.
AMERICAN JAZZ REPERTORY ORCHESTRA WITH GUEST SOLOIST CLAIRE DALY
AND THE BERKSHIRES JAZZ YOUTH ORCHESTRA
IN ASSOCIATION WITH PITTSFIELD CITYJAZZ FESTIVAL
Saturday 10/16/10 8pm
A: $25 B: $15
Baritone sax virtuoso Claire Daly appears as guest artist at both ends of a big band double bill. Daly will perform her unique sounds and improvisations with the Berkshires Jazz Youth Orchestra; then, she will be featured with the American Jazz Repertory Orchestra, back by popular demand after its 2009 Pittsfield debut. The 16-piece ensemble closes out the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival with its varied repertoire of jazz standards.
VICKI LAWRENCE & MAMA: A TWO-WOMAN SHOW
A BENEFIT FOR THE COLONIAL'S PERFORMING ARTS FOR SCHOOLS PROGRAM
Saturday 10/23/10 8pm
Tickets: $75
VIP: $175 includes preferred seating and pre-performance private dinner
Emmy Award-winning comedienne Vicki Lawrence is one of television's most beloved personalities. While still in high school, she became part of the now-legendary cast of The Carol Burnett Show; creating the iconic character of Mama, and going on to star in the sitcom Mama's Family. Her hilarious Two-Woman Show features both Lawrence and Mama in a mixture of stand-up comedy, song and observations about real life. Where the opinionated Mama is concerned, expect the unexpected!
SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK
Friday 1/28/11 8pm
A: $55 B: $35
Signed for the hearing impaired.
Rooted in a deeply held commitment to create music out of the rich textures of African American legacy and traditions, Sweet Honey In The Rock possesses a stunning vocal prowess that captures the complex sounds of blues, spirituals, traditional gospel hymns, rap, reggae, African chants, hip hop, ancient lullabies and jazz improvisation. Sweet Honey's collective voice, occasionally accompanied by hand percussion instruments, produces a sound filled with soulful harmonies and intricate rhythms.
HOT TUNA BLUES WITH
JORMA KAUKONEN, JACK CASADY, CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE
& JIM LAUDERDALE
Wednesday 2/9/11 7:30pm
A: $55 B: $35
Hot Tuna Blues joins Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Hot Tuna (Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady) with Chicago blues icon Charlie Musselwhite and singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale. The acoustic and electric energy of Hot Tuna is injected with the harmonic sounds of Musselwhite and country-bluegrass infusion of Lauderdale resulting in an invigorating evening of blues and classic Americana .
THE TRAVELIN' McCOURYS
Saturday 2/26/11 8pm
All Tickets: $25
Ron McCoury on mandolin, Rob McCoury on banjo, Jason Carter on fiddle and Alan Bartram on bass is the latest incarnation of the most awarded band in the history of bluegrass—The Del McCoury Band. Known for their individual instrumental prowess and their numerous collaborations including Vince Gill, the Allman Brothers and Phish, this touring unit blends the best of the Appalachian tradition with the improvisational magic of jazz. Critics and musicians alike hail them as the best bluegrass band in the world.
JURY'S IRISH CABARET
Saturday 3/5/11 8pm • A: $45 B: $25
The legendary, Jury's Irish Cabaret is a full theatrical production filled with traditional and contemporary music, song, dance and laughter. Emerging new trends in Irish music are incorporated with the very best of traditional and modern entertainment to provide an authentic flavor of Irish life; featuring Irish music icon, Tony Kenny.
JOHN HAMMOND
& DAN HICKS AND THE HOT LICKS
Saturday 4/16/11 8pm
A: $45 B: $25
John Hammond is one of the world's premier acoustic blues artists. He has been repeatedly recognized for his outstanding talent, including a 2010 Grammy nomination for Rough & Tough, his 33rd album.
Dan Hicks is widely acknowledged as one of the central defining figures in American roots music. He has released 10 groundbreaking and critically acclaimed albums with his band, The Hot Licks.
HOLIDAY CHEER
KATHY MATTEA: SONGS AND THE SEASON
Saturday 11/27/10 8pm
A: $55 B: $35
Kathy Mattea presents an all-new holiday program following up her Grammy Award-winning and Emmy-nominated holiday program Good News. Ranging widely across musical boundaries of country, folk and gospel, her show's spiritual message is a thoughtful blend of old favorites and new songs.
THE SOUND OF CHRISTMAS:
WITH ELISABETH VON TRAPP
& THE EMPIRE BRASS
Tuesday 11/30/10 7:30pm
A: $35 B: $25
For Elisabeth von Trapp, the sounds of music are part of her earliest memories. Born and raised in Vermont , Elisabeth is the granddaughter of the legendary Maria and Baron von Trapp, whose story inspired The Sound of Music. Singing professionally since childhood, Elisabeth has enthralled audiences from European cathedrals to Washington D.C. 's Kennedy Center .
The Empire Brass, led by Berkshires' own Rolf Smedvig, dazzles audiences worldwide with their virtuosity and charisma. Their entertaining holiday programs combine the classic and the new covering holiday standards; classical transcriptions, traditional carols and original Empire Brass arrangements.
FILM: IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)
Sponsored by Greylock Federal Credit Union
Friday 12/3/10 7pm • All Tickets: $5 or free with donation of non-perishable food item (day of show)
Recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 best American films ever made, and placed number one on their list of the most inspirational American films of all time, It's A Wonderful Life tells the story of a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman (James Stewart) who is given the chance to see how dismal life would have been had he never existed.
CHRISTMAS AT THE COLONIAL: SING-ALONG WITH MARY VERDI & FRIENDS
Sponsored by Greylock Federal Credit Union
Saturday 12/4/10 7pm
Adults: $15 Children: $10 (12 & under)
Bring the whole family and ring in the Yuletide season with this old-fashioned Christmas sing-along celebration. This joyous performance features local favorite, Mary Verdi, along with some of the best musicians in the Berkshires and the most beloved songs of the season.
THE VIENNA BOYS CHOIR
Media sponsor: WMHT
Thursday 12/9/10 7:30pm
A: $55 B: $35
The world's most beloved choir has been thrilling audiences young and old for over 500 years with their unique mix of sacred and secular music. They've sung for kings and princes, Mozart and Bruckner, and now their eagerly anticipated tours play to sell-out crowds annually. Celebrate the holiday season with the angelic voices of the Vienna Boys Choir, voices of pure silver and gold.
ROMANCE, SOUL & ROCK N' ROLL PRESENTS: PEACE, LOVE & HOLIDAY MUSIC
ALL PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT THE COLONIAL THEATRE
Friday & Saturday 12/17/10–12/18/10 8pm
A: $20 B: $15
Romance, Soul & Rock n' Roll presents a full evening of classic hits and exciting, newer versions of holiday favorites. Countless fans in Berkshire County can attest to the electricity and excitement director and performer Ted Concepcion, and his talented cast and band, bring to the stage year after year.
JUST FOR LAUGHS
CAROLINE RHEA
WITH SPECIAL GUEST TONY DEYO
Friday 7/9/10 8pm
All Tickets: $35
For the last seventeen years, Caroline Rhea has performed to sold-out audiences in top comedy clubs across the United States and in Canada . Her feature film credits include The Perfect Man with Heather Locklear, Man on the Moon co-starring Jim Carrey, Christmas with the Kranks opposite Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis and many television roles since she first starred as Aunt Hilda on The WB's Sabrina, The Teenage Witch.
A rising young talent, Tony Deyo is known for his sharp, quick material and near perfect comedic timing.
IF YOU EVER LEAVE MEÂ…I'M GOING WITH YOU!
WITH RENEE TAYLOR & JOE BOLOGNA
Saturday 7/31/10 8pm
A: $45 B: $25
Emmy Award-winning and Oscar-nominated husband and wife team Renee Taylor and Joe Bologna star in this hysterically funny comedy which celebrates their acting-writing partnership and three-decade love affair. Taylor is well known for portraying Fran Drescher's Mother, Sylvia Fine on the CBS sitcom The Nanny. Bologna 's many film credits include My Favorite Year, Blame it on Rio and Big Daddy, where he played Adam Sandler's father.
JOHN OLIVER
Saturday 8/14/10 8pm
All Tickets: $45
John Oliver is a writer and correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. His own stand-up special, Terrifying Times, premiered in April 2008 and was subsequently released on DVD. Oliver is currently appearing in a recurring role in the NBC series, Community and is hosting his own six-episode series for Comedy Central, John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show.
KATE CLINTON: THE LADY HAHA TOUR
WITH SPECIAL GUEST ROY ZIMMERMAN
Saturday 11/13/10 8pm
All Tickets: $35
Kate Clinton is a faith-based, tax-paying, America-loving political humorist and family entertainer. With a career spanning over 25 years, Kate Clinton has worked through economic booms and busts, Disneyfication and Walmartization, gay movements and gay markets, lesbian chic and queer eyes, and ten presidential inaugurals. She still believes that humor gets us through peacetime, wartime and scoundrel time.
Roy Zimmerman is an intensely clever singer-songwriter often compared to Tom Lehrer.
FRANK FERRANTE
IN AN EVENING WITH GROUCHO
Saturday 4/9/11 8pm
A: $35 B: $25
This two-act comedy consists of the best Groucho Marx one-liners, anecdotes and songs including "Hooray for Captain Spalding" and " Lydia , the Tattooed Lady." The audience becomes part of the show as actor, director and playwright, Frank Ferrante ad-libs his way throughout the performance. Accompanied by his onstage pianist, Jim Furmston, Ferrante portrays the young Groucho of stage and film and reacquaints us with the likes of brothers Harpo, Chico , Zeppo and Gummo, Charlie Chaplin, W.C. Fields, Greta Garbo, Margaret Dumont and Louis B. Mayer. A brilliant show; perfect for all ages!
POP & ROCK
Series Exclusively Sponsored by
Laurin Publishing
RUSTED ROOT
Wednesday 6/9/10 7:30pm
A: $45 B: $30
Rusted Root has sold more than 3 million albums worldwide since forming in Pittsburgh in the early '90s. The band's worldly style quickly charmed fans of roots music and world rock. Their 1994 album When I Woke went platinum and featured the hit songs "Send Me On My Way," "Ecstasy" and "Martyr." Throughout the '90s the band toured with many well known performers, perhaps most notably, supporting the Jimmy Page and Robert Plant reunion tour. The band's most recent album, Stereo Rodeo, explores a variety of musical styles, crossing and merging genres. Expect new music and faithful fan favorites.
LOS LONELY BOYS
Thursday 6/17/10 7:30pm
A: $55 B: $35
Since their worldwide breakout five years ago, the Texican trio, Los Lonely Boys, have achieved multi-platinum album sales, a Grammy for their monster hit "Heaven" and widespread acclaim from critics, fans and other musicians. With their most recent album, 1969, the brothers trace their own musical lineage paying homage to the songs and artists that inspired them including Carlos Santana's "Evil Ways," The Beatles' "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window," Tony Joe White's "Polk Salad Annie" and The Doors' "Roadhouse Blues."
BRUCE IN THE USA
Saturday 7/10/10 8pm
A: $45 B: $25
Bruce In The USA is much more than a tribute. This high-energy musical experience is a note-perfect and visually accurate recreation of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Clarence Clemence himself joined the band on stage in New York , claiming after the show that it was the greatest tribute he's ever seen.
BLUE ÖYSTER CULT
Friday 10/8/10 8pm
A: $45 B: $35
Blue Öyster Cult's style of hard rock has been thrilling fans worldwide since their debut album in 1972. Blue Öyster Cult's music is legendary, and it's one of very few bands of this genre to earn mainstream critical acclaim and commercial success. Some of the band's best known songs include "Burnin' for You," "(Don't Fear) the Reaper," "Godzilla" and "Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll."
TWIST & SHOUT
Sponsored by the Pittsfield Cooperative Bank
Sunday 10/10/10 7pm
A: $45 B: $25
Twist & Shout is the definitive Beatles experience played by brilliant musicians with an inherent understanding of why The Beatles will forever be the most beloved and respected rock band in history. Colored with film clips from the '60s, Twist & Shout will immerse audiences in a complete experience from a band that looks and sounds like the real deal. One modern update: they have been known to take text message requests from the audience.
OPEN WINGS–BROKEN STRINGS
WITH EDDIE KOWALCZYK (LIVE),
ART ALEXAKIS (EVERCLEAR)
& LEIGH NASH (SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER)
Friday 10/22/10 8pm
A: $45 B: $25
"Stripped down and acoustic, you'll hear the strings on the guitar vibrate and buzz, the vocal chords hum and pulsate as the songs you love come to life like you never knew they could. In this intimate environment, the rock star steps out from behind the layers of decibel and drama to greet you with the essence, the story and the song. Quiet, just might be the new loud." –Eddie Kowalczyk (LIVE)
ANI DIFRANCO
Tuesday 11/16/10 7:30pm
A: $55 B: $35
Ani DiFranco is a songwriter, vocalist and guitarist perpetually on the move. From the raw folk-punk of her early albums through the jazz-funk grooves she created during her years touring with a five-piece band, to the twists and turns of her current work, DiFranco's restless creativity continually leads her and her listeners into ever more exciting territory.
SINGER-SONGWRITER
Series Exclusively Sponsored by Berkshire Bank
ROSANNE CASH: THE LIST
Tuesday 6/29/10 7:30pm
A: $55 B: $35
The genesis of Rosanne Cash's new album The List dates back to a day in 1973 when Cash's father, the incomparable Johnny Cash, discovered some gaps in her knowledge of American roots music. He spent the rest of the day making a list on a legal pad, and at the top he put "100 Essential Country Songs" handed it to her and said, "This is your education." Three dozen years later, Roseanne has selected twelve songs from the list presented to her by her father to record her first album of covers. She approached each composition—from Jimmie Rodgers' "Miss the Mississippi and You" to Bob Dylan's "Girl from the North Country "—in search of its particular essence. The result is a glorious range of sounds and moods.
CATIE CURTIS & JONATHA BROOKE
Saturday 8/7/10 8pm
A: $35 B: $25
It's not all that hard to find a musician willing and able to offer a guided tour of life's dark clouds—but making the acquaintance of someone able to hone in on the silver lining, well, that's an altogether rarer occurrence. It's an experience to savor. Catie Curtis' ability to lift up the listener radiates from virtually every groove of her appropriately-titled ninth studio album, Sweet Life.
Jonatha Brooke merges elements of folk, rock and pop with poignant lyrics and complex harmonies. Her seventh solo album, The Works, features the previously unpublished lyrics of Woody Guthrie.
ARLO GUTHRIE WITH THE BURNS SISTERS: JOURNEY ON
Saturday 11/20/10 8pm
A: $55 B: $25
Sponsored by Nelson E. Furlano, CPA
For over four decades, Arlo Guthrie has toured the world winning a broad and dedicated following. In addition to being an accomplished musician, Guthrie is a natural-born storyteller whose hilarious tales and timeless anecdotes are woven seamlessly into his performances.
The Burns Sisters harmonize to produce powerful folk-country-rock songs. When Marie, Jeannie and Annie Burns sing together, their music follows an inner path only they can know—but everyone can feel.
LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III
& SHAWN COLVIN
Friday 3/11/11 8pm
A: $50 B: $35
A darkly witty and touchingly personal songwriter and storyteller, Loudon Wainwright III is an American folk icon. He has recorded more than 20 albums, acted in a long list of productions, from M.A.S.H. to the 40-Year-Old Virgin, and has created music for film and theatre. 2010 brought him a Grammy Award for his album, High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project.
Shawn Colvin is a singular and enduring talent. Her songs are slow-release works of craft and catharsis that become treasured, lifetime companions for their listeners. As a storyteller, Colvin is both keen and warm-hearted, leavening even the toughest tales with tenderness, empathy and a searing sense of humor.
TOM PAXTON
Saturday 5/21/11 8pm
All Tickets: $35
Tom Paxton is an acclaimed storyteller known for the depth and wit of his songs and the humor he brings to his performances. His compositions, whether topical, personal, humorous or all three combined, have become templates for successive waves of singer-songwriters.
JUNE
6/03 Sherri James Buxton & Friends: Songs from the Heart with Special Guest Matt Savage
6/09 Rusted Root
6/17 Los Lonely Boys
6/29 Rosanne Cash: The List
JULY
7/09 Caroline Rhea with Special Guest Tony Deyo
7/10 Bruce in the USA
7/16 Marc Salem's: Mind Games
7/17 The Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats
7/23 Maureen McGovern: A Long and Winding Road : The Concert
7/30 Ricky Nelson Remembered starring Matthew & Gunnar Nelson and The Stone Canyon Band
7/31 If You Ever Leave MeÂ…I'm Going with You! With Renee Taylor & Joe Bologna
AUGUST
8/07 Catie Curtis & Jonatha Brooke
8/11 Betty Buckley: Broadway by Request
8/14 John Oliver
8/21 Blue: The Music of Joni Mitchell
8/27 Ute Lemper
SEPTEMBER
9/26 Vicki Baird: Connecting With The Beyond
9/30 'S Wonderful: The New Gershwin Musical
OCTOBER
10/01 The National Dance Company of Ireland : Rhythm of the Dance
10/07 John Lithgow: Stories By Heart
10/08 Blue Öyster Cult
10/10 Twist & Shout
10/15 Forever Plaid
10/16 American Jazz Repertory Orchestra with Guest Soloist Claire Daly and the Berkshires Jazz Youth Orchestra
10/22 Open Wings–Broken Strings with Eddie Kowalczyk (LIVE), Art Alexakis (Everclear) & Leigh Nash (Sixpence None The Richer)
10/23 Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-Woman Show
NOVEMBER
11/06 The Spencers: Theatre of Illusion
11/12 Tommy Tune in Steps In Time: A Broadway Biography In Song And Dance
Featuring The Manhattan Rhythm Kings
11/13 Kate Clinton: The Lady HAHA Tour with Special Guest Roy Zimmerman
11/16 Ani DiFranco
11/20 Arlo Guthrie with The Burns Sisters: Journey On
11/27 Kathy Mattea: Songs and the Season
11/30 The Sound of Christmas: with Elisabeth Von Trapp & The Empire Brass
DECEMBER
12/03 Film: It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
12/04 Christmas at the Colonial: Sing-Along with Mary Verdi & Friends
12/05 The Berenstain Bears Live! in Family Matters: The Musical
12/09 The Vienna Boys Choir
12/17–12/18 Romance, Soul & Rock n' Roll Presents: Peace, Love & Holiday Music
JANUARY
1/22 Meredith Willson's: The Music Man
1/28 Sweet Honey In The Rock
FEBRUARY
2/09 Hot Tuna Blues with Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady, Charlie Musselwhite & Jim Lauderdale
2/20 BubbleMania!
2/26 The Travelin' McCourys
MARCH
3/05 Jury's Irish Cabaret
3/11 Loudon Wainwright III & Shawn Colvin
APRIL
4/09 Frank Ferrante in: An Evening with Groucho
4/16 John Hammond & Dan Hicks and The Hot Licks
MAY
5/14 Black Violin
5/21 Tom Paxton